Folding anchor for boats



Sept' 29, 1959 G. E. HEADINGTQN 2,906,231l

FOLDING ANCHOR FOR BOATS Filed July 23, 1957 INVENTOR C12/@Hed azz/'nj bn BY 1M .ZM

ATTORNEY 5 United States Patent O FOLDING ANCHOR FOR BOATS George E. Headington, Choteau, Mont. Application July z3, 1957, seri1N0.'673,710

z claims. (cl. 1114-208) The present invention relates to folding anchors for boats, and more particularly to such devices having means for holding the anchor in folded and in unfolded position.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a folding anchor for boats in which the ukes fold in against the shank of the anchor to permit the storage of the anchor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding boat anchor having spring pressed means for normally securing the flukes in extended position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a folding boat anchor constructed so that the pressure exerted by a boat at anchor will tend to maintain the flukes in open position.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention shown partially broken away with the flukes folded.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, with the flukes shown in extended position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal cross-section taken along the line 3 3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, with parts broken away for convenience of illustration.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference numeral indicates generally a folding boat anchor constructed in accordance with the invention.

The anchor 10 includes an elongated tubular shank 11 having a plurality of upright angle iron brackets 12 molded or welded thereto in circumferentially equispaced relation. 'Ihe angle iron brackets 12 are provided with legs 13, 14 perpendicularly related to each other and arranged on the shank 11 so that the leg 13 of one bracket 12 is in spaced parallel relation to the leg 14 of the adjacent bracket .12.

An elongated slightly curved fluke 15 is positioned between the legs 13, 14 of adjacent brackets 12, as seen in Figure 3, and a pivot pin 16 extends through the legs 13 and 14 pivotally securing the fiuke 15 therebetween. The inner terminal end 17 of each of the ukes 15 have a length so as to underlie the lower end of the tubular shank 11 when the flukes 15 are in extended position, as 60 can be seen in Figure 2. The outer terminal end of the ukes 15 is sharpened as at 18 to permit the flukes 15 to dig in. y

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The legs 13, 14 of the brackets 12 have their upper edges inwardly and upwardly tapered at 19 to prevent them from becoming fouled in weeds.

An elongated shaft 20 extends completely through the tubular shank 11 and is provided with an annular flange 21 formed on its upper end and is threaded at 22 on its lower end. A ring 23 is secured in upright relation to the upper end of the shaft 20 so that an anchor line may be secured thereto. A circular nut 24 is threaded onto the lower end of the shaft 20 securing the shank 11 thereon.

The shaft 20 is somewhat longer than the shank 11 and has a coil spring 25 encompassing the upper end thereof engaging at its upper end the fiange 21 and at its lower end the upper end of the shank 11. The spring 25 normally biases the shaft 20 upwards with relation to the shank 11 causing the nut 24 to bear against the inner ends 17 of the fiukes 15 holding the flukes 15 against the lower end of the Shanks 11.

In the use and operation of the invention, the shank 11 is held stationary and the shaft 20 is pushed downwardly therein against the tension of the spring 25. Downward movement of the shaft 20 in the shank 11 causes the nut 24 to move away from the inner ends 17 of the ukes 15 permitting the flukes 15 to be folded inwardly to the position illustrated in Figure 1. Upon release of the shaft 20, the nut 24 will move upwardly into engagement with the lower end of the shank 11 and prevent the flukes 15 from returning to the position illustrated in Figure 2.

With an anchor constructed in accordance with the invention, a relatively large holding area can be utilized when the anchor is extended while only requiring a small storage area when the iiukes are closed.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A folding boat anchor comprising an elongated cylindrical hollow shank, a plurality of brackets secured to one end of said shank, a plurality of flukes, means pivotally mounting said flukes in said brackets, an elongated shaft mounted for sliding movement in said shank, means on one end of said shaft for engaging one end of said flukes, and means on the other end of said shaft for normally biasing said shaft in a direction to engage the means on one end of said shaft with said ukes to bind said ukes in extended position.

2. A device as claimed in claim l wherein the other end of said shaft is provided with an annular flange having an attaching ring secured thereto extending upwardly therefrom, and the means on said shaft biasing said shaft comprises a coil spring having one end engaging said flange and the other end engaging the upper end of said shank.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,476,348 Alvik et al. July 19, 1949 2,687,107 Evans Aug. 24, 1954 2,701,539 Morel Feb. 8, 1955 

